Australian soldiers destroy insurgent weapons cache

Two weapons caches have been discovered and destroyed during a daylight raid lead by Australian soldiers patrolling Oruzgan province in Afghanistan.

Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), with support from Australian Special Forces and other coalition troops, seized assault rifles, a machine gun, a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher, RPGs, rocket and recoilless rifle warheads, mortar rounds and hand grenades. The soldiers also seized approximately 300kg of opium resin as well as several false and forged identity cards and nearly 1000 rounds of small arms ammunition.

Chief of Joint Operations Command Lieutenant General Mark Evans said the seizure continued the disruption of the manufacture of IEDs and use of weapon systems across the central and northern parts of Oruzgan province.

“It is a significant volume of material to be found in one area and its discovery and destruction will continue to disrupt the Taliban extremist’s networks,” Lieutenant General Evans said.

Lieutenant General Evans said that the removal of explosive material, potential IED components and munitions would make life safer for all Afghan people in Oruzgan, and for the coalition troops who are supporting the Afghan National Security Forces.

“This operation highlights the ongoing commitment of Australian forces in Oruzgan to support the ISAF mission of protecting the population,” Lieutenant General Evans said.

Posted in: Australia